Re: Graph terminology in spec text.

On 7/21/11 10:40 AM, Dan Brickley wrote:
> On 21 July 2011 09:27, Andy Seaborne<andy.seaborne@epimorphics.com>  wrote:
>> On 21/07/11 01:08, Ian Davis wrote:
>>> We recognise that "graph" has subtly different semantics
>>> between sparql and rdf concepts so let's avoid that term.
>> It would be helpful to if you could point to text in the SPARQL specs that
>> leads to that conclusion.  It should be changed because a graph is value and
>> used as such in SPARQL, both in query and update.  As such , the changes are
>> editorial and not a cause for a SPARQL second last call.
> If the terminology can be unified and 'graph' kept in our technical
> vocabulary, there are significant benefits for RDF.
>
> The word 'triple' seems to alienate many people, whereas the wider
> tech scene is lately abuzz with all kinds of talk of 'graphs':
>
>   - the social graph
>   - interest graphs
>   - graph databases
>
> I appreciate the importance of being technically unambiguous, ... but
> let's not talk ourselves into obscurity here! The fact that this
> notion of 'graph' is being widely spread really helps our project, so
> please don't abandon the word just when it is becoming more widely
> appreciated.
>
> In terms of outreach, what's that difference between 'graph' and
> 'triple'? Mainly that 'graph' emphasises that the first and third
> pieces of each triple tend - on a good day - to draw from the same
> pool of potential values, and can consequently connect up to form a
> linked data structure. This is a big big part of the appeal of RDF,
> with or without Linked Data's clever tying of this idea to the notion
> of 'the Web graph' of linked documents. In some sense, the Semantic
> Web project is about creating the graph of all data graphs; I'm
> willing to forgive a little inclarity for the rhetorical benefits that
> come with the word.
>
> cheers,
>
> Dan
>
>
+1 .



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Kingsley Idehen 
President&  CEO
OpenLink Software
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Received on Thursday, 21 July 2011 10:15:09 UTC